Tuesday, January 09, 2007

And They Say Politicians Don't Do Anything

Well, as we gear up for a long, long election year, I'm keeping an eye on the Rudd-Gillard Opposition leadership team, and whether they're responding to the heartfelt request I made of them when they took control of federal Labor. The latest poll results are looking good. Of course, it's unwise to put much faith in poll results this far out from the election (what were Mark Latham's poll results at this stage three years ago?), but a good result is preferable to the alternative. According to the latest Morgan poll, 64% of voters approve of the job Kevin Rudd is doing as opposition leader (as opposed to 56% who approve of the job John Howard is doing as Prime Minister) although Howard retains his status as preferred PM.

But wait. What has Rudd actually done lately? Nothing really. It's not his fault. Howard hasn't done anything lately either. No one has. Parliament is on its long summer recess at the moment (let me be an MP one day, please!) and there's not a lot of politics going on. What are the voters basing their judgements on?

Not much, really. Oh, occasionally a poltician will make a statement that stays in people's minds and sways their judgements, such as John Howard's infamous "We decide who comes to this country..." soundbite. But for the most part the voters already have a pretty firm idea of who they're going to vote for; the only things that will sway them from week-to-week are the important issues like who has better hair, and the politicians are just wasting their time banging on in parliament week after week.

*****

A little closer to home, I recieved an introductory, addressed form letter the other day from the MP, letting me know that the electoral boundaries have changed (yet again) and she is now my local federal member. The letter outlined Labor policies, and concluded by saying if there's anything she can do for me, to please contact her office.

How nice, you think. But here's the thing. Changing boundaries aside, I've handed out how-to-vote cards for this woman at the 1998, 2001 and 2004 federal elections, and have received a form thank you letter each time.

So yes, Ms Hall, there is something you can do for me. Start by remembering my name! Anyway, I think I'll be having a nice lie-in on Election Day '07. I may be a sucker for rejection, but this is ridiculous.

5 comments:

If you really want to see whether Labor is worth its salt ask them how many of The Rodent's totalitarian laws will they revoke if they are put into power. The answer is none, and Labor continues to bear a striking resemblance to a bowl of jelly. Spineless, gutless and brainless.As with all elections, the Australian people must decide which candidate they dislike the least.

I wish that Labor would take a tip from the U.S. Democrats and realise that they'll never win on their won merits unless they offer a real alternative and stop being "Liberal lite" (as the Dems used to be "Republican lite"). But that's unlikely under Rudd. Latham tried a real alternative, and look what happened then.

I don't have high hopes for the Democrats. When Pelosi said that impeaching Bush wasn't on the cards I knew what their leadership was going to be like. Like the Oz Labor party, they need to actively go about undoing the damage done by the conservatives and not just take the reigns away from them.

When every law passed by The Rodent is undone and he himself is trialed for crimes against humanity, then we will have a party worth voting for. In the meantime, all we have is a sack of drooling cowards.

Surely you ask too much from a politician to remember a name and therefore have them remember the individual? I think they are only really capable of dealing with 'people' as a collective unit. Maybe you should stop helping with her campaigns...perhaps then she'd notice your absence??? 8)